FIFA officials have been accused of taking bribes worth more than $ 150 million – Rosbalt.RU

MOSCOW, May 27. The arrested officials of the International Football Federation (FIFA) are accused of extortion and receiving bribes and kickbacks in excess of $ 150 million.

“football officials are accused of conspiracy to commit extortion and receiving more than 150 million dollars in bribes and kickbacks in exchange for official support for sports marketers who agreed to the illegal payments “- said in a press release of the Ministry of Justice of the United States.

According to the report, suspected of corruption FIFA members and their accomplices led to criminal activity 1991 to the present time.

“The indictment alleges that in the period from 1991 to the present, the suspects and their accomplices corrupt organization, participating in various types of criminal activity, including fraud, bribery and money money – said in a release. – Two generations of football officials have abused their power for personal gain, often in collaboration with unscrupulous business leaders in sports marketing, which does not allow competition and ensured himself a highly lucrative contracts through systematic bribes and kickbacks. “

Meanwhile, the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation James Komi stated that the accused officials of FIFA contributed to the development of corruption, illegal payments and bribes became a way of doing business in FIFA.

“FIFA officials accused of corruption and contributed to the development greed that creates unequal conditions for the greatest sport in the world – are the words of Komi in the press release of the Department of Justice. – Unopened and illegal payments, bribes and kickbacks have become a way of doing business in FIFA. I want to thank the investigators and prosecutors around the world who diligently conduct investigations on all these years “.

It should be noted, after it became known on Wednesday the arrest of several high-ranking FIFA officials Swiss Justice Ministry opened a criminal case in connection with a choice of host countries of the World Cup in 2018 and 2022.

At the same time FIFA has said it is ready to render maximum cooperation between police of Switzerland in the arrest of officials.

“FIFA welcomes process and is ready to cooperate with the Ministry of Justice and Police of Switzerland “, – said the director of public relations of FIFA, Walter De Gregorio.